


Rescuer with a lyre

by Thunderfire69



Category: Hadestown - Mitchell
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Eurydice has the role of Orpheus, Eurydice sings Epic 3, F/M, Hopeful Ending, Orphues has the role of Eurydice, Reunited and It Feels So Good, Takes place during Epic 3 and Word To The Wise, and then for a tiny bit after that, reverse au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-12
Updated: 2019-04-12
Packaged: 2020-01-12 04:36:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18439166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thunderfire69/pseuds/Thunderfire69
Summary: Eurydice and Orpheus role reversal





	Rescuer with a lyre

Her fingers plucked over the strings of the lyre, as precise and careful as ever. Her auburn hair, soft and curly and somehow still clean after all this time, settled over her shoulders in waves. Her eyes closed as she sang in accompaniment to the music she strummed from her lyre, pouring her very soul into the song. 

 

“ _ Suddenly, when he saw her there. Persephone, in her mother’s garden, sun on her shoulders, wind in her hair, the smell of the flowers she held in her hand and the pollen that fell from her fingertips. And suddenly Hades was only a man, with the taste of nectar upon his lips. _ ”

 

Her song continued on, note upon note, melody upon melody, lyric upon lyric. Her fingers dancing across the strings, playing from deep within herself, right from her heart, her soul, her very being. And when she finally strummed that final chord, she finally opened her eyes, to the king of the Underworld and his wife, both with tears in their eyes.

 

She should have felt triumphant in that moment. She’d earned her right to win him back, she’d won the right to take him home, back to life and living and joy and love. But she was too battered for that, too tired and drained and was on the edge of giving up. Her fingers were raw from plucking the strings of the lyre, her clothes covered in dirt, and she could barely even remember her own name- it was Eurydice, wasn’t it?

 

She bowed, out of habit more than actual respect, though Persephone had more than earned Eurydice’s respect (Hades… not so much). Then she made her way out of the throne room, and collapsed against one of the walls of the hall, exhausted and defeated and unsure how she would ever find the strength to go on.

 

Some time passed, time that she spent in a doze, half awake and half asleep, her lyre clutched loosely in one hand. Then the door to the throne room opened, and Hades stepped out regally, looking somewhat more composed that he had earlier.

 

“You may have him,” Hades said, his tone betraying no emotion; he waved his hand, and in a flash of red fire, there he was. He looked so different from when she’d last seen him, but yet so similar; he looked beaten, broken and defeated, ash and blood staining his hands. But the look in eyes, and the way he lit up the moment his eyes fell upon her was so  _ him,  _ so refreshingly familiar after all she’d faced to get him back.

 

“Eurydice.” His voice was the same as she remembered it, as sweet as honey and full of adoration and love.

 

“Orpheus.” How amazing it felt to say his name, to taste it upon her lips once again, after all this time.

 

“You may have him,” Hades repeated again. “But you may not cast your gaze upon him until you are out of the Underworld. If you do, he will disappear forever.”

 

Eurydice’s gaze flickered over to Hades for a moment, then back to Orpheus. “Thank you.”

 

Hades let out a grunt in reply. “I’d wish you luck, but…” He waved his hand at her dismissively. “Now turn around. The moment you step through those doors,” Hades pointed down the hall, “Then you must not lay eyes on him until you have reached the living world once more.”

 

“I understand,” Eurydice said, and she squared her shoulders. She was going to make it, not for her own sake, but for his. For Orpheus, and the future he would have. Taking a deep breath, she began the walk down the hall.

**Author's Note:**

> I had the urge to write this so I did. Sorry it’s only short and I’m also mentally hitting myself for not writing for this fandom earlier when I’ve been in it for over a year.


End file.
